Bird has spent the spring in a battle with Luke Voit for the first base job. While Boone and general manager Brian Cashman each have said the job was Voit's to lose, the team has split the reps at the position between the two.

Voit still appears in the lead to keep the job, especially with Bird's elbow keeping him out for the last few games.

Voit has hit .293 with four homers and 12 RBI in 15 games and 41 at-bats. Bird has hit .333 with three homers and eight RBI in 17 games and 39 at-bats. He’s also drawn 11 walks to Voit’s five.

Voit took the job from Bird late last season. He hit 14 homers and 33 RBI with a .333 average in 39 games.

On Friday, Bird said he was feeling better, and that he was surprised getting hit hurt considering he was wearing a pad on his elbow.

“It hit and I was like, ‘I think it hit the pad,’ because I heard it. I was like, ‘Oh, it kinda hurts. I feel like it hit the pad.’ I don’t know,” he said in the clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday.